The Good Thing That Hurts
by BiteWorseThanBark
Summary: He was a monster. She was somewhat of a recluse. She saved him from the cold they both hated and nursed him back to health. But with something sinister brewing and the withholding of secrets from each other, will their newly forged relationship hold? Human A/U. Battloha and Sugarie. Rating will go up in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I have to fucking stop making so many multichapter fics and finish the ones I've already started... -_-;

Nevertheless, please do enjoy reading.

* * *

**The Good Thing That Hurts**

1: Cold, Unease and Rage

White; practically the only colour he had ever seen his whole life in the compound. Now he was out, but it was as though the universe was mocking him, for the outside world which he had always hoped to escape to was blanketed in that same stupid colour. It was cold too. Colder than the compound. However, he was pumped full of far too much adrenaline to properly take note of the temperature; his strong limbs straining to their limits to get him as far from that hellhole as possible.

His restraints suddenly zapped him and he faltered, but staggered on. Giant puffs of cloud billowed from his open, panting mouth much faster now than at the beginning of his run. He was tired. So damn tired... But he had to keep going or he would be dragged back there.  
His arms still stung from the many needles used in this morning's tests and his side throbbed painfully from being kicked by the Director. The fatass had probably broken a couple of ribs, if the weird feeling in his side was of any indication.  
He coughed, a harsh breathless bark, and the corners of his mouth became slick.

Well, shit.

A pained howl as another, stronger, jolt of painful energy surged through his battered body.

He managed to stagger another few steps forward before losing consciousness and planting face first into the snow.

* * *

Today was colder than the last few weeks. The snow was a lot heavier too.

Vader shrugged into a second coat and slipped on a pair of woollen mittens before stepping out the door. The cold was an almost physical force. It whooshed in her face with the force of a slap. She winced, but closed and locked the door behind her before setting off at a brisk walk. Vader shoved her hands into her coat pockets. The left was fisted loosely around her admission ticket.

She couldn't wait to see Sugar's performance. The girl was amazing at dancing; a born natural, even. And it was a fact that Zacharie never failed to rub in.  
Vader rolled her eyes at the thought of having to listen to more of his bragging.  
It was nice that he was so proud of his girlfriend, but he seriously needed to tone that pride down because it was getting incredibly irritating.

Despite being slightly zoned out, Vader's brisk walking pace ensured her timely arrival in the town of Bismark, where Sugar's performance was to be held. Standing tall and proud at the very centre of town was the library; a beautiful piece of architecture with shelves filled with hundreds of thousands of books. However, for some reason or another, the building had been painted a flamboyant bright orchard colour, making it a little harsh on the eyes.  
Averting her own, Vader headed north, towards the shopping and entertainment district. She passed a sign with a series of arrows pointed in each of the four cardinal directions. She already knew her way around, and which direction each of the arrows pointed towards, so she didn't stop to look at the sign.  
The south of Bismark, from where she had entered, was represented by a single thin black arrow pouting down. West was represented by, of all things, a small isosceles triangle, pointing left. East was a thick white arrow bordered by thin black that pointed right. Finally, Vader's destination, north, was marked by two thin black arrows with closed and coloured ends pointing upwards.

Vader drew her coat closer as she passed under the massive, sweeping arch that led into the shopping and entertainment district. The cold was really beginning to pick up now.  
Thankfully, the theatre was close.

With a grateful sigh marked by a small vapour cloud, she began crunching through the snow towards the stairs leading into the theatre.  
"Salut, Vader!"  
A small smile tugged at the corners of the woman's lips. She stopped in her tracks and turned towards the man approaching her, smile stretching. "Greetings, Zacharie. How is business these days?"  
Zacharie, a man a bit on the short and stocky side, with thick, strong arms, grinned back up at her. The numerous scars marring his otherwise handsome face stretched at the action. "Eh, things could stand to be a bit better at the shop. Perhaps the items I sell are not obscure enough," he chuckled in his usual peculiar manner. "However, the park has been steadily growing in popularity, so I suppose that amounts to something."  
"That is pleasing to hear." Vader said, moving to one side of the stairs so that Zacharie could walk next to her. "And Pablo," she continued once he was walking alongside her, "how is he these days?"  
"Good, good. ... His brother is still missing, however."  
The smile dropped from Vader's face. "Valerie still has not been found?"  
"No," sighed Zacharie. "And what makes things even odder is that recently the librarian hasn't been seen either."  
"That... that is incredibly odd." Vader responded, feeling uneasiness brewing in the pit of her stomach. Her back and arms also prickled. She scratched at her left arm through her three layers of clothing. It did little to ease the prickling sensation, but her nerves settled the slightest amount.  
"Ah, but enough of this sombre atmosphere. We are here to watch my sweet Sugar's performance!" Zacharie exclaimed. His scarred face instantly lit up at the thought. Vader, too, became more at peace as she thought of the performance. Speaking of...  
"Zacharie, we should hurry and claim our seats."  
"Ah, of course! Gracias for the friendly reminder, my dear friend."  
The pair climbed the last few steps and Zacharie pushed open the double doors. Vader thanked him and entered first.

* * *

He gasped, and the sudden intake of air made him choke.  
Asleep... He had fallen asleep. That was bad.  
The coughing fit passed and, jerkily, he staggered to his feet. His tongue swiped quickly across his mouth.  
Dried blood and a bit of the soft, powdery coldness that surrounded him.  
It tasted like freezing water when it melted on his tongue so he shovelled some into his mouth. The cold bit and burned harshly, and there wasn't as much water in it as he had thought. He also felt thirstier.  
He licked around his mouth some more, trying to better gather his foggy thoughts.  
How far from the compound he had travelled was beyond him; he'd been too spurred by adrenaline and fear to take distance and landmarks into account. Besides, everything looked the same under this blanket of frigid, powdery white.  
A strong bout of shivering swept over his battered body and he curled in on himself. His body felt numb.  
Shit, shit, shit!  
Slowly, drunkenly, he staggered forwards. He needed to find shelter somewhere... And warmth, he needed warmth too.  
A loud scream as three powerful shocks were sent through his body simultaneously.

He collapsed to his knees, panting heavily as he fisted the powdery white ground.  
The shackles needed to go too.  
He bit at the one on his left wrist and clawed at the one around his throat with his free hand.  
Warning shocks made his skin tingle constantly until he finally gave up. Fine. They could be taken care of later. His current priority was to seek somewhere warm to take shelter.  
With a pained grunt, he pushed himself back to his feet and resumed his staggering pace.

* * *

"S-sir! The subject is, um... lost!"  
"... Lost?" The tall man behind the desk growled. His subordinate flinched and began to fidget nervously. "Ah... Y-yes, sir. Lost."  
"How the fuck," hissed the man behind the desk as he pushed himself to his feet, "could you _LOSE something that fucking big and ugly_?!"  
The sudden loud screech of his superior made the trembling man cower. "I-I, uh...!"  
"Forget it." Snapped the tall man. "Go see the Director. You're fired."  
"N-no! Sir, please...!"  
"Shut your trap, you poor moron! Now hurry up and get out of my sight before I snap your neck!" He slammed a fist on his desk, denting it heavily, for emphasis.  
With tears in his eyes, the smaller man saluted and scurried out of the office, almost slamming the door behind him in his haste.  
Sighing heavily, Dedan sat back in his chair, running a hand over his hairless skull. "I knew I couldn't leave anything to those miserable shit stains. Fuck!" He snarled, kicking over his desk with a black booted foot. Scattered papers floated gently before Dedan and he glared at them with his dark, hooded eyes until they landed.  
The boss wasn't going to be happy.  
With an enraged screech, Dedan leapt to his feet and kicked the overturned desk at his office door.

Splinters flew.

* * *

A/N: I must confess, I had no ideas for a name for this one... That is, until I looked up what _Mozart Opera Rock_'s song _Le Bien Qui Fait Mal _meant in English. I might change it if I come up with something better, but for now, the name stays as is.

Anyway, please give me your thoughts on how it is thus far, and how I can improve. I'm still learning how to be a good author, after all.=-)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Wow. I can't believe I wrote this entire chapter during my three day stay at Dicky Beach. o-o;

Geez, Dedan's potty mouth is probably gonna earn this fic an M rating faster than I can write the upcoming violence in later chapters... :/

* * *

The Good Thing That Hurts

2: Friends

Sugar was amazing. The audience was absolutely captivated by her grace. So much so, that Zacharie's occasional proud, boastful remarks did not register to those around him. Only Vader heard him clearly, but she was skilled in the art of ignoring him.

The girl seemed to be the only one onstage, as she easily overshadowed the other dancers. Aggravation was etched clear and deep onto the faces of these other girls. Vader chuckled to herself lightly. Already, Sugar had enemies. She wondered how much bigger the list would grow once the girl became a professional.  
Probably enough to make a carpet from her house to Bismark.

Vader chuckled again and Zacharie raised an eyebrow at her. She waved him off and he shrugged, going back to watching the last minute of the dance. Vader, too, watched Sugar complete her last few moves. After Sugar's final spin and curtsy, the audience went wild with cheers, applause and the occasional wolf whistle. Zacharie scowled in those directions, as well as at the few who tossed flowers onstage. Vader watched Sugar laugh and gather the flora into a bouquet. She then waved to the audience one final time before following the other dancers as they moodily slunk backstage.  
Vader tugged lightly at Zacharie's arm. "Come. I'm sure Sugar will be delighted to see you."  
The scarred man's previously annoyed scowl transformed into a beam. "Not as delighted as I'll be."  
Rolling her eyes, Vader tugged him to his feet and led the way out of the theatre.  
After much bustling and shoving with elbows, the pair were out in the cold again. Zacharie shivered and rubbed his arms. "Ugh. The snow has really picked up, eh? Are you sure you'll be fine walking home in this weather, Vader? You could stay with Sugar and I for the night, if you wished."  
The woman shook her head. "Thank you kindly for the offer, Zacharie, but I would not want to ruin any... prearranged plans you have with Sugar."  
The scarred man grinned impishly. "Ah ha ha, how very thoughtful of you, Vader." He then assumed a serious expression. "Seriously though, be careful. The weather looks like it will become especially treacherous later in the evening."  
"I'll be fine, Zacharie. I am far stronger than I look," she assured him, smiling. His mouth creased into a frown but he did not pursue the matter beyond another urge for her to be careful.

Soon, the friends were at the door leading backstage. By now, fresh snow was beginning to fall. Vader winced slightly at it. She would have to cut her conversation with Sugar down dramatically or else she would find herself either walking home in a possible blizzard, or sleeping over with Zacharie and Sugar. Vader quickly decided that if worst came to worst, she would rather brave a blizzard than listen to her friends having sex. She had had the misfortune of having to do so once in the past and vowed never to go through the experience again.  
She could no longer think about cats without remembering Zacharie randomly calling out 'miaou' amongst a cacophony of thumping noises. Ugh.

Heedless to the shudder that passed over the woman next to him, Zacharie rapped smartly on the door. Shortly afterwards, it was opened by a girl with close-cropped sandy blonde hair. It took about half a second for the pair's faces to register, and when they did, a gigantic grin split Sugar's face. "Zacharie! Vader!"  
"Bonjour, mon amie." Zacharie greeted, giving her a quick, but tender, kiss on the lips. "You were magnificent as always."  
The dancer giggled. "Oh, stop it, Zach." They hugged, and she rubbed noses with him.  
Once their greeting ritual was over, Sugar flung her arms around Vader, almost making the older woman lose her balance. "Vader, my friend, it is wonderful to see you!"  
"Same to you, Sugar." She responded, giving her friend a quick squeeze before releasing her. "I would tell you how great your performance was, but I'm certain Zacharie will do more than enough of that."  
Sugar laughed. "I suppose so. Still, it is nice to hear a compliment from my friend every now and then, rather than fifty from my boyfriend every day."  
"I thought you loved all the praise I gave you!" Zacharie mock wailed, causing the two females laugh at his theatrics. Once the bout of laughter petered out, Sugar gestured towards the half open door. "How about we all get out of the cold for a while? That way you won't freeze to death while I change. We can also catch up on lost times."  
Vader chanced a quick glance towards the sky. The snow seemed to be falling the slightest bit thicker. She bit her lip and offered the younger female a negatory head shake. "... Sorry, Sugar. It seems I'll have to take a rain check on catching up with you."  
The dancer followed where her friend's gaze had been directed previously. "Ah. Sometime later in the week then?"  
"Of course," smiled Vader. "Will Friday suffice?"  
"Friday sounds perfect." Sugar nodded, leaning into Zacharie, who pulled her closer with an arm. The scarred man also nodded his assent. "You're welcome to visit whenever you please, my friend. The door is always open."  
"Thank you. I shall see you both on Friday then."  
With a final wave and call of goodbye, Vader descended the stairs and crunched through the snow south, towards home.

* * *

It was a smart move on Vader's part to leave right away. Already, the snow was falling thick and heavy and visibility was lower. She drew her coat closer, burying her nose into the collar and hiding her mittened hands under her armpits to stay warm. The cold bit at her ears, making her wish she had a pair of earmuffs. Vader sighed, hunching her shoulders against the icy wind. It would be nice to live just a bit closer to Bismark. Hell, living in the town would be great! There would be no more long walks through the snow, and she could visit her friends whenever she wished.  
"Forget about it." Vader sighed aloud. "It's better this way."  
She closed her eyes briefly.  
Perhaps that would be a possibility in the future; when she finally came to terms with her own personal demons...

Suddenly, Vader's back and arms prickled. She stopped, her head snapping up and out of her coat collar. She also removed her hands from her armpits and bunched them into fists at her sides. The frigidity of the air immediately brought tears to her eyes, which she blinked away.  
"Who's there?" She called out, her voice clear and strong.  
The wind answered her question with a mournful howl. Or was it actually a wounded animal?  
Vader tried to rein in her imagination. It would be silly to work herself up over something nonexistent.  
Nevertheless, she remained alert. Slowly, her fingers flexed in and out of fists as she began walking again. The woman's steel coloured gaze calmly took in the snowy landscape around her. Her footsteps were now more silent; controlled.  
Around her, the wind continued to keen loudly. It also tossed her pure platinum hair about, making it resemble a fierce mane. Vader wished she had thought to braid it before leaving, and made a mental note to do so next time.  
Still moving silently through the snow, the woman kept her ears open for any foreign sounds.  
Nothing besides the wind so far. The landscape also looked undisturbed. Just trees and rocks blanketed by powdery white. Very uninteresting.

Once again, she stopped in her tracks.  
A large cloud of vapour escaped Vader as she let out a long sigh.  
She was getting jumpy over nothing. Again.  
She tucked her hands back under her armpits. They had become cold already; a feeling she despised.  
"You need to calm down," she chastised herself. "It was the wind. Nothing more."  
Still, she couldn't help but feel like it had been an actual howl that she had heard. Her back and arms also continued to prickle in a most peculiar manner. Something or someone had to be close. The prickling never lied.  
Hopefully it wasn't one of _them_.  
A wave of shuddering passed over Vader. It wasn't a likely scenario, but the possibility of its occurrence still frightened her.

The woman's hands remained buried in her armpits, but her eyes continued to roam about in search of what was making her metaphorical hackles raise. Whatever it was, it would be difficult to see through all this snowfall.  
... Ah, that was right. The whole point of Vader's being out there was to get back home; not skulk around in search of imaginary creatures.  
"This is ridiculous," she muttered, passing a hand across her face. Although she said that, the insistent prickling of her shoulders and back said otherwise. Vader pulled one hand out to scratch at an arm. Like the last time, and all the other times before that, it did little in the way of removing the uncomfortable feeling. Although, it did calm her down a bit.  
The longer Vader walked, the more insistent the prickling became. And the more she scratched at her arm.  
A memory surfaced. It was a voice, nothing more, yet still she shuddered at it.  
_"Don't do that. You will mar your skin. We wouldn't want that now, would we?"  
_Vader wiped at moist eyes with her sleeve. Those times were behind her now. She was free. Sort of.  
She went back to scratching her arm. This time with more vigour, as the prickling was now unbearable. Was she actually having some sort of allergic reaction to something?  
Before she could ponder much more on this thought, her foot connected with something solid.  
With an undignified yelp, Vader fell, and snow flew at the impact of her landing body. Coming into contact with so much of the frozen water made all the hair on her body stand on end. She sucked in a quick breath.  
Cold. Too cold!  
Scrambling quickly to her feet, Vader searched for whatever it was that had tripped her.  
There! A big mound, probably a rock, jutting out of the snow.  
She squinted at it.

…

Was that an arm?

Grey eyes widening, Vader scrabbled towards it. Her heart rate increased dramatically at the sight of the now unmistakable human appendage. It was practically blue from being out in the cold for lord knows how long, and covered in angry welts and bruises. There was also some kind of strange glowing band around the wrist.  
Vader grasped the arm and checked for a pulse. A faint, fluttering thump made her spirits raise.  
This person was alive. But just barely.  
Wasting no more time, she dug away at the snowy lump. With each scoop of snow, more of the body was revealed. The build was lightly toned and male. Once his face was uncovered, Vader's breath hitched.  
He was handsome. There was no other word for him, since perfect would have been stretching it.  
The man's face was long, with a strong jaw and high cheekbones. And his nose was long and proud. What colour his eyes were was a mystery, as they were closed, the lashes gathering tiny icicles on their tips. He was bald, but his thin eyebrows were a pale grey-white. An odd colour, considering he didn't look any older than Vader. Perhaps he was an albino...  
No, that wasn't important. What _was_ important was getting this man out of the cold.  
Vader brushed away some more snow from his body before grasping him under both armpits and pulling him up and out. Surprisingly, he was a lot lighter than she had imagined... Malnutrition, perhaps?  
Vader leaned him against her shoulder, hanging onto his waist while she unbuttoned her outer coat. She then shimmied one arm out of her coat then shifted the man to her other side so she could remove it fully. Once it was off, she wrapped it around him. A small, almost indecipherable whimper escaped his throat. Vader shushed him gently and assured him he would be alright. Whether the man heard her or not would forever remain a mystery.  
Tossing his arm around her shoulder, Vader, once again, began slogging home.

* * *

"How could you have lost the subject? He is not exactly inconspicuous."  
"_I_ didn't lose him," growled Dedan. "It was those shitheaded underlings you employed."  
"Do not blame the men placed under your care for your own inadequacy," piped up a third voice.  
"Shut your fucking yap, skinny!" The tall man snarled at the shorter third speaker.  
"I would not have had to open my 'yap' in the first place if you had just done your job properly." Skinny said pointedly, glaring up at Dedan.  
"Hey! At least I do work around here! All you do is cram your beaky fucking nose into a book while you're holed up in your office all day!"  
"My nose does _not_ look like a beak!"  
"Friends, please," the voice of the first speaker rumbled. "Do not fight amongst yourselves. It is unbecoming."  
Skinny and Dedan grumbled quietly but ceased their bickering. The big man behind the desk smiled widely; big rosy cheeks dimpling. "See? Isn't that better?"  
"Enough of your patronising," Dedan hissed. "Get to the point of calling us up here already."  
The man behind the desk rested his thick elbows on said furniture and steepled his fingers together. "Patience, Dedan. I was getting there."  
"Well get there faster," said Dedan flatly. He received a slight frown from the big man, which he ignored. "We're waiting, fatty."  
Skinny's eyes widened.  
Oh no. He had _not_ just gone there.  
The Director's plump, round face had now hardened into a scowl. "What was that, _snaggletooth_?" He hissed. Dedan smirked back. "Fatty, fatty two by four, can't fit through his office door," he sang in his gravelly voice.

The Director angrily shoved his chair back and stood. He practically towered over the other two men. "Say that again. I _dare_ you!" With each word he spat, his face and body began to swell.  
"My friends, please, cease your bickering!" Beseeched skinny as he stepped between the taller males. "We will not find the subject if we snarl and raise our hackles at each other like wild, rabid beasts! We need to maintain cool, level heads if we wish to-"  
"Yak, yak, yak." Dedan interrupted, picking at an ear. "You know, you could've just told us straight up to stop fighting instead of going on another of your stupid long monologues."  
Skinny flushed. "Well, _excuse_ me!"  
The Director exhaled slowly. The extra weight from earlier had shrank away. He sank back into his chair and mopped at his bald brow with a handkerchief. "Whatever the case, we have stopped fighting. Thank you, Japhet."  
Dedan crossed his muscled arms and grunted. That was as close to an apology or a thank you as they were going to get out of him.

"So... what is it that we are to do about the runaway subject?" Asked Japhet, pushing his thin wire glasses back up his nose. "Are we going to send a squadron of men after him?"  
"Are you fucking kidding? That son of a bitch can easily rip those shitstains to shreds! We ought'a just do it ourselves!" The tall man loudly smacked his fist into his palm.  
"No men will be sent out," rumbled the Director. "Nor will we sully our own hands to bring it back."  
"P-pardon?!" Japhet gasped. Even Dedan's hooded eyes widened. "What the fuck are you saying?! Are you suggesting that we just... _let_ that thing wander around?!"  
The Director shushed the other men with a raised finger. They were immediately silenced, both gazing up at him expectantly.  
"Actually Dedan, yes. I am suggesting that we leave the subject to its own devices."  
"Um... Why?" Japhet asked. "Forgive me for sounding rude and ignorant, but it sounds as though you do not care for the destruction that will come about from this. The subject is dangerous and flawed; if it gets into town, the lives of countless innocents will be lost!"  
"Yeah. Think of how many credits that would cost us!" Added Dedan. The skinny man immediately glared at him. "Do not compare the lives of people to money!" He hissed.  
"Stop." The Director rumbled. Silence settled once more.  
"That is better." He smiled. "Now, as I was saying, we are going to leave the subject to its own devices. Yes, I am well aware of the repercussions that will result from this. However," a malicious, toothy grin curled his wide mouth. "We have a successful subject close by. They can detain it for us, as well as assist in our research."  
Dedan's face was blank. Japhet, however, saw what the bigger man was getting at. "You want to see how the subject will act in an uncontrolled environment, and if its full potential can be uncovered by battling the other subject! Genius, my friend. Pure genius."  
The Director smirked.  
"I dunno..." Muttered Dedan, crossing his arms. "Sounds pretty harebrained to me. I still say it's a bad idea."  
"I thought you might say that," nodded the Director. "So, I think I will remind you of our nifty little inventions: the Alpha, Omega and Epsilon shackles. With a single thought from any of us, the subject is overwhelmed by a strong electrical current that will disrupt the flow of its stamina, brainwaves and energy. Shock it enough and it will lose consciousness, rendering it helpless."  
Dedan's long, gnarled fingers curled slightly as he scratched at his head with pointed fingernails. "... Okay, I'll admit those things are pretty damn handy. Still... what if they don't hold? Fancy technology has a tendency to stop functioning at the worst moments."  
Japhet gave the tall man a sideways look. "This is not like you, Dedan. It is my job to be the worrywart of our triad. ... Are you sick?"  
He yelped as he received a hard smack to the back of the skull.  
"That answer your question, four eyes?"  
The Director sighed and rolled his eyes. "Is that really what this is all about, Dedan; your lack of faith in technology?"  
A shrug from the tall man. "I guess it is. Look, you two both know I'm more of a hands on type of guy. And that all this hiding and zapping the fucker in the comfort of our base doesn't sit well with me. I'd much rather face the ugly thing head on."  
"Then perhaps you would like to spar with the subject when it is dragged back here? _Without_ the shackles." The Director said enticingly. Dedan's eyes gleamed at the prospect of a no holds barred fight. "Sounds like a fucking date, fat man."

* * *

A/N: I don't want to come across as whiny, but... I know you fellow OFF weirdos are out there... So PLEEEEASE show me some love in review form! (Or credits. Those work too.)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Ugh. This one gave me a bit of trouble, so hopefully it's okay...:,-/

Oh yeah, did some minor editing to the previous chapters. Not too important, but meh. Just putting it out there.

* * *

**The Good Thing That Hurts**

3: Warmth

Vader exhaled with relief when she finally got the door to click open. She hadn't been standing out all that long, but she was very worried for the man whose arm was slung across her shoulder. He had ceased moaning a while back, and his wheezy breathing was becoming progressively shallower.  
The platinum haired woman pushed open the door with a foot. On accident, more force than necessary had been applied, and it slammed loudly. The man flinched and she winced, stuttering an apology. "S-sorry."  
He gave no indication of hearing her. Vader quickly dragged him inside and kicked the door back shut; albeit a bit gentler. No flinch this time.  
The sofa was close at hand, so that was where Vader laid him. She was a whirl of energy after that; fetching blankets, boiling water in the kettle and grabbing the first aid kit. Once boiled, the water went into a hot water bottle, which she placed on his chest. Following this was many layers of blankets. He buried his face under these. Vader then migrated upstairs, to her bedroom, for any random article of clothing that she could use to further warm her unconscious guest. When she came back down, her arms were full. She set the pile of clothes next to the couch so she could check on how the man was faring. Vader probed his fingers and toes first. If he was frost bitten, those areas would be affected the worst.  
His eyelids fluttered at the contact. A low, indecipherable groaning sound came from his slightly parted lips and he shifted slightly.  
She shushed him gently and covered him back up.  
No frost bite. That was good; if a little odd...  
As she watched the man's pale face twitch every so often in his sleep, Vader frowned.  
Where had he come from? The plain white scrubs he wore pointed to some sort of medical institution. A runaway patient perhaps?  
Absently, Vader scratched at her arm.  
Whatever the case, she could ask him when he woke up. Hopefully, he would be willing to divulge information...  
She spared a quick glance at the clothing pile she'd brought down and winced. There were so many articles of clothing on it. Too much, in fact. What was more; they were mainly dresses and skirts.  
She flushed.  
These things happened when you rushed.  
"... Oops."  
She gathered the unwanted items and took them back upstairs to be replaced with more socks, mittens and coats.

* * *

The cold was gone completely; replaced by a comforting, toasty warmth.  
Had he died?  
As he sluggishly stirred back into the conscious world, he registered the numerous aches and pains of his body. And the familiar heavy, burning of the shackles around his neck and wrists. A low groan escaped him.  
Damn it.  
Slowly, he opened bleary blue eyes. After much blinking, his vision was much clearer and he could see his surroundings.

This wasn't the compound.  
The walls were not bleached a hideous pure white. Instead, they were a very warm and inviting mocha, with the occasional hung photograph or painting to break the monotony. There was also a clear display with a moth pinned inside.  
Its wings were beautiful for something so dead.  
His eyes scanned the pictures on the walls intently, curiously. The paintings were nice, if a little disturbing. He stared blankly at one of a very stylized pair of cats with giant, grinning mouths and big teeth. The signature in the bottom right was a simple Z. Next, his gaze was directed towards one of the photographs. Three people- two females and a heavily scarred male whose arms were slung across each of their shoulders- were clustered together. The man and the girl on the left were both grinning widely. On the right of him, the pale woman with platinum hair's smile was more reserved and shy.  
After lingering on that photograph for a while, his gaze trailed around some more. It rested on another photo, this one of two men nearly identical in appearance. One had a massive grin that seemed to split his face while the other wore a timid little smile with a few teeth peeping through. Somehow, he was reminded of the weird cat painting.  
He craned his neck about to take in more of the room. There were a few more paintings and photos, as well as a finely carved end table nearby. A long wilted rose in a vase sat on it.  
"Ah, you are finally awake. What a relief."  
His head snapped towards the source of the unfamiliar voice.

Standing inside a doorway he hadn't noticed earlier, smiling gently, was the platinum haired woman from the photograph. She wore a cream coloured sweater that hugged her torso snugly, and a long grey skirt that gently brushed her ankles.  
He couldn't help but stare.  
Her smile grew a little wider at this. "What's the matter? Have you never seen a woman before?"  
Truthfully, he had not. A girl on the other hand...  
He shuddered.  
The platinum haired woman's expression immediately became one of concern. "Are you alright? Are you cold? Uncomfortable? Hungry?"  
On cue, his stomach growled and snarled like a thing possessed.  
"Yes." He croaked, wincing straight afterwards. His throat was so dry...  
He cleared his throat and tried again. "Yes. I'm starving." That was better. But he sounded so tired and weak...  
A relieved smile settled on the woman's face. "Well, dinner will be ready soon, so you woke up at the perfect time. Would you like some water until then?"  
He nodded vigorously. Water sounded perfect since he was so parched.  
"Okay. I'll be back in a minute," said the woman, turning on her heel and passing back through the doorway. He stared after her and her swishing skirts until she disappeared from sight.  
A long and relieved exhalation of air was released.  
He had done it. He had successfully escaped the compound.  
With a triumphant smile, he settled back into the couch.  
Things were finally becoming better.

Not even a minute later, the platinum haired woman reentered the room, holding a glass of water. When offered, he took it gratefully, and chugged the liquid down quickly.  
Surprisingly, he didn't choke on it.  
"... Better?"  
He offered the woman a quick nod. "Yes. Thanks."  
"It is no problem," she smiled, taking the glass from him and putting it on the end table, next to the wilted rose. "You know, I was uncertain as to whether you would wake up or not."  
His brow furrowed. "Why would you say that, Miss... Uh..."  
"Eloha." She supplied. "But please, call me Vader."  
"Vader..." It was odd, but he liked the sound of her name on his tongue.  
Her voice snapped him out of his mild daze. "I was worried you may not wake up because when I found you in the snow three days ago, you were barely alive. You came down with a terrible fever shortly after. Thankfully, it seems to have gone now."

"..."

He had been unconscious for a whole three days? Damn, these shackles were more troublesome than he had originally thought.  
He scowled and tugged at the one on his right wrist. Alpha was its name, if he recalled correctly.  
Vader watched him silently. Her face was blank and her grey eyes unfathomable. "Do you mind if I ask what those are?" She eventually asked, gesturing at the glowing bands around his wrists and throat. Immediately, he ceased tugging at the Alpha shackle. "... I... I don't know," he said, lowering his eyes.  
It wasn't technically a lie. He only knew the shackles had names, and that when they zapped him he felt drained. For what purpose they were put on him was a mystery. It wasn't as though he were a monster.  
... Right?  
Noting the sadness beginning to cloud his eyes, Vader decided to change the topic. "Ah, well... do you have a name?" She felt awkward right afterwards.  
_'Dunce. Of course he has a name.'  
_The man shrugged. "I've been called many things. Ugly. Shitstain. Garbage. Failure. Monster..."  
Vader startled. "I... I beg your pardon?"  
He shrugged apologetically. "Sorry. I don't actually think I have a single, fixed name." He gave her a tiny smile. It was sad.  
"No... Don't be sorry. It is not your fault," said Vader. She rubbed at a sweater covered arm. "I'm sorry I brought it up."  
The man shrugged. "It's not your fault." He echoed. "You didn't know."  
Vader nodded, chewing at her lower lip. "... Would you like a name?" She asked hesitantly.  
The man blinked, blue eyes wide and startled. "I... Yes. I'd like a name."  
"Well then, how about..." Vader frowned with concentration. "Batter."  
"Batter?" He repeated, cocking his head. The woman flushed, embarrassed. "Sorry. It's just, there's a code on your scrubs- BTR-4709 -and that is... Ah, I'm sorry. It just popped into my head. I can give you a different name if you wish."  
"No," he said with a hasty head shake. "Batter sounds good."  
Vader blinked in surprise. "Are you certain?"  
He smiled back. "Yes. I don't mind."  
Anything was better than monster...  
The woman smiled warmly. "Well then, Batter, would you care to join me for dinner?" She extended a hand towards him. Batter grasped the appendage with no hesitation. Her small palm was deliciously warm in his own, larger one. "I would be delighted, Vader."

* * *

A/N: So, how terribly written was that?8,,-)


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Wow, super fast update!:O

Be warned; corny fandom joke and shitty writing awaits.

* * *

**The Good Thing That Hurts**

4: Apologetic Decline

After licking up the remnants of his third helping of soup, Batter belched. Vader arched a slender eyebrow at him. "I'm pleased you enjoyed my cooking so much," she said in an amused tone. He offered her a sheepish smile in return. "Sorry. I was starving."  
"Oh, don't worry about that." Vader waved away his apology. "In fact, I see that as a high form of praise."  
"Okay." Batter chuckled. He reached across the table to serve himself another bowl.  
A stunned Vader watched him do so. "Aren't you full?"  
The man shook his head. "Not even close."  
She shook her head slowly. "What an insatiable appetite," she muttered as he heartily dug into his fourth bowl of soup.  
One more bowl later and Vader managed to convince him to stop eating.  
"If you eat too much too quickly, you will fall ill again." She had chastised, to which he had stared at the ground and scuffed his feet like a scolded child before agreeing to stop eating.  
For now.  
Presently, the two of them were cleaning the dishes. Vader washed, Batter dried. He was rather awkward and clumsy at first; unsure of what he had to do, but he learnt quickly.  
"So... This is your, uh... home?" Batter began in an awkward attempt to initiate small talk. Vader smiled at him. "Yes." She said simply. The male fidgeted. "... It's nice." He murmured.  
"Thank you."  
More fidgeting.  
Vader gently placed a soapy palm on his forearm and he stilled. "Relax." She told him. He swallowed. "Sorry."  
She gave his arm a quick pat. "It's okay. You have obviously been through a lot."  
His lips twisted into a small, wry smile. _'You don't even know...'_  
Vader left her dripping palm just a bit too long on his arm as she smiled up at him. Batter didn't mind.  
"Well," the woman finally retracted her hand. "I suppose I should retire for the night." She said with a yawn.  
Batter blinked in surprise. "So soon?"  
She nodded. "Yes. I spent three sleepless nights watching over you, you know?"  
Now that she mentioned it, the skin underneath her eyes was noticeably darker than the rest of her face. Batter felt ashamed. "I'm sorry..."  
Vader waved away the apology. "Oh it's quite alright. In fact, it's probably a good thing that I was up so late."  
He waited for her to elaborate. She didn't and he shrugged to himself. Maybe she would tell him when they were better acquainted.  
Vader dried her hands then glided out of the kitchen, skirt whispering gently. She paused at the doorway, giving Batter another warm smile. "I will see you in the morning. Goodnight, Batter. Dream sweet dreams."  
He blinked rapidly, cheeks heating slightly. As he responded, his tongue tripped over the words. "A-ah. Yes. Same to you."  
Vader's smile stretched further. She offered him a small wave before gliding away and up a flight of stairs. Batter watched until she disappeared from sight.  
"... Dream sweet dreams..." He murmured.

* * *

He was twitchy that night.  
Sleep was being elusive; chased away by a random wash of adrenaline.  
Batter tossed and turned on the couch restlessly. For some reason, no position felt comfortable.  
Annoyed, he brought his left shackle, Omega, to his mouth and bit it. His skin tingled with a constant warning shock, and he swore the static electricity made his eyebrows fuzz up. The energy also made his teeth buzz. It felt odd and slightly uncomfortable, so he released the shackle. The tingles ceased immediately. The Omega shackle glowed with a soft and innocent white light and Batter glared at it.  
"You're stupid," he hissed.  
The object continued to glow pleasantly. His annoyed scowl deepened and he bit the shackle again, uncaring of the warning shocks.

He didn't need this thing. He didn't need the other two either. He wasn't a monster. _He wasn't_.  
Frustrated tears blurred his vision. Batter clamped his teeth tighter around the shackle. In response, the shocks increased in power to match the pressure being applied.  
Tighter.  
More pain.  
Even tighter.  
Even more pain.  
_'Break. Break. Break. Break. BREAK, DAMN IT!'_  
A sharp, angry shock ran through Batter's body and he gasped, eyes flying wide open.  
That was the second guardian scolding him. Telling him to stop.  
Shakily, he pried his mouth away from the shackle. He stared down at it intently, searching for a crack; even a tiny one.  
Nothing. The Omega shackle looked as pristine and untouched as always.  
A small sob forced its way out of him. Tears followed shortly after. He threw an arm across his eyes and tried to hush his whimpering so he wouldn't wake Vader.

* * *

Vader rose with the dawn. She sat on her bed and watched the sun rise through the window. The manner in which the warm, bright pinks and oranges ribboned across the sky was breathtaking.

Once the sun was half hung in the sky and still rising, she decided to get up.  
With a contented sigh, she stood and padded downstairs.

Batter was sprawled out on the couch, still sleeping, so Vader made sure to tread as silently as she could into the kitchen. She had heard a few muffled sobs last night, and knew he needed the rest and recuperation.  
Shortly after entering the kitchen, she swung open the fridge door. Deftly, she plucked out eggs and a plate stacked with steak. Judging by Batter's massive appetite last night, most of the slabs of meat would be his. She had no doubt that he would easily clear out her fridge within the week.  
Chuckling softly, Vader began preparing breakfast.

She had barely finished cooking the third piece of steak when Batter woke up.  
"Vader?" He called sleepily.  
"Good morning, Batter." She greeted. "Was your slumber pleasant?"  
The pale man shuffled into the kitchen. "For the most part, yes." He sat heavily in a chair and rubbed at his face. "Is that meat?"  
"It is steak, yes. Would you like it peppered?"  
Batter hadn't the faintest clue what pepper was, but he said yes anyway. He watched Vader as she grabbed some sort of small glass object filled with dark, powdery granules and shook it over the cooking meat. The scent of the meat immediately intensified. It even changed subtly.  
His mouth watered.  
Damn, it smelled good...  
He continued to watch her cook, intrigued. The platinum haired woman seemed to exhibit much grace, even when completing menial tasks such as removing one slab of meat and replacing it with another. It was fascinating watching her movements. She seemed so in control...  
He envied her for that.  
Batter's stomach growled loudly. It made him fidget uncomfortably until breakfast was finally plated up.  
Wasting no time, he tore messily through the first of four steaks stacked onto his plate.  
"... Batter, please use the cutlery." Vader sighed. She was exasperated, yet amused at his antics.  
"Hmm?" He mumbled around the second slab of pepper steak hanging from his mouth. She stared, and he blinked back innocently.  
Vader quickly covered her mouth with a hand to smother her giggles.  
Batter raised an eyebrow at her. The expression made her sputter out more laughter.  
Confusion made the man's brows knot. What was so funny?  
He shot Vader an odd look before going back to eating.  
Whatever. She could laugh about nothing if she wanted to.  
Once she was somewhat composed, the platinum haired woman cleared her throat and ate her own breakfast.  
There was silence whilst they ate, save for some faint clicks of cutlery and the messy tearing of meat with teeth and hands.  
Once finished with her meal, Vader put down her knife and fork. She cleared her throat lightly. "Batter?"  
He glanced up from staring dubiously at his egg. "Yes?"  
The woman laced her fingers together. "I know this is sudden, but I am going to see a couple of friends today."  
"I see," he said slowly.  
The only times he had heard that word uttered were within the compound- usually from the second guardian's mouth- so it was one he associated with unpleasantness.  
"You are welcome to come with me if you wish. I am certain that Sugar and Zacharie would be delighted to make your acquaintance."  
Batter's expression became thoughtful. "Sugar?"  
"You know of her?" Queried a curious Vader. The bald man quickly shook his head. "Ah, no. Sorry."  
What each of them was referring to were two different Sugars altogether.  
The platinum haired woman seemed slightly disappointed with his answer. "Oh. Well, no matter. You will know of her soon enough. ... That is, if you wish to accompany me."  
Batter averted his gaze back to his untouched egg as he pondered his answer.  
His experiences with "friends" were terrible. However, Vader's seemed pleasant, so his perception of the word may have been askew. He was willing to give these friends of hers a try, but his stomach knotted at the thought of leaving Vader's small house. What if he was found? He would be dragged back to the compound to face all sorts of hell. They might even kill him this time.  
Batter shuddered, his mind made up.  
"Sorry, Vader. I'm going to have to decline your offer."  
Her face fell, but her grey eyes were full of understanding. "That is quite alright, Batter. Perhaps at a later date?"  
A mute nod.  
Damn it, he felt so bad now...

* * *

"I will be back in a few hours. Help yourself to anything in the fridge if you are hungry." Vader shrugged into a second coat and wrapped a scarf across her neck. "I do not have a heating system, so be sure to wrap yourself up in plenty of blankets when you start to feel the chill."  
Batter nodded. "Okay," he said simply. It felt strange to have someone fuss over him like a child...  
The platinum haired woman turned towards him, face twisted in thought. When it lit up, Batter expected her to have more motherly instructions for him to take heed of. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him. Her light, flowery scent permeated his nostrils and he stiffened.  
"Take care of yourself while I'm gone." Vader murmured into his chest. He relaxed ever so slightly. She wasn't attacking him... Good.

"You too," he replied, giving her back a few awkward pats. After giving the man one final squeeze, she released him. With a wave over her shoulder and closing of the door, Vader was gone.

* * *

A/N: Bluh, I wanna get into writing the action already... I write this sort of meaningless crap... crappily.-3-;


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Holy shiznit, I'm on fire! I also should not have done this... I have four assignments to work on in a small time frame. Why? Because school is almost over. For good. *happy dance* XD

Oh, and I forgot to thank **Aqua** for the praise a couple of chapters back. Thanks, dude. Kind words and praise like that really boosts my confidence and helps me keep going strong. That goes for the rest of you readers. My sincerest thanks for the strong support so far!:) That being said, please don't hesitate to give me tips of improvement. ^_^

* * *

**The Good Thing That Hurts**

5: Glad to Have You by My Side

A flurry of light, rapid knocks was applied to the door of Zacharie and Sugar's residence.  
The scarred man grinned. He knew that knock anywhere.

Zacharie got up from the couch to answer the door. He swung it open, smiling warmly, to greet his visitor.  
"Salut, Va-"  
"Vader!" Sugar squealed. His girlfriend shoved past him, almost bowling him over in the process, to throw her arms around the woman standing in the door. Vader stumbled and almost fell; a regular occurrence. "Greetings, Sugar." She said, returning the hug, albeit without such a crushing grip. "How have you been these past few days?"  
"Good, good." The dancer responded. They broke their embrace. "And how about you, my friend?"  
"Also good." answered the platinum haired woman. "And I have some news that the both of you may find shocking."  
"Nice to know that I haven't been forgotten." Zacharie commented dryly, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorway.  
Sugar wrapped her arms around him. "Don't sulk, Zach." She said, planting a kiss on his scarred cheek. He continued to pout until she nuzzled his neck, at which point he grinned. "Oh, alright. You win."  
Vader cleared her throat. It was a friendly reminder that she existed too, and was slowly freezing beyond the threshold of their door.  
"My apologies, Vader. We appear to have gotten ourselves far too caught up in the moment," grinned Zacharie sheepishly. He gestured to the interior of the house. "Please, do come inside." The couple moved to the side so she could enter and she obliged gratefully.

"So," began Zacharie, shutting the door. "What's this shocking news?"  
"What, no pleasantries?" Smirked Vader.

The scarred man sighed dramatically. "I suppose I could play the hospitable host and make us all some coffee and fetch us some cookies."  
"That would be lovely, oh generous and hospitable host. Thank you."  
"Don't forget the fudge, Zach!" Sugar called after her boyfriend as he retreated into the kitchen. "I'm craving some gooey chewy chocolatey goodness."  
Zacharie's voice floated out from the kitchen. "Your wish is my command, my sweet."  
Vader chuckled as she shucked out of both of her coats. "You have trained him well, Sugar."  
The dancer grinned widely. "I certainly have, haven't I?" With a flourish and a spin, she had taken Vader's coats and placed them onto a rack. She spun back towards Vader, still grinning. "So, apart from this shocking event, how have you been?"  
"Tired." The platinum haired woman sighed, rubbing at her eyes with the heels of her palms. "It's because of him..."  
"Oho!" Exclaimed a mischievously grinning Sugar. "So the shock is not a what, but a who!"  
Vader flushed rose pink. "Well... Yes."  
"Do you hear that, Zacharie? Our little Vader is growing up. She has a man who keeps her up at night."  
Grey eyes widened indignantly and pink cheeks become scarlet. "That is-! You are _completely _taking this out of context, Sugar!"  
Both of her friends laughed heartily. She was incredibly flustered by this point. "The both of you are awful. I shouldn't have come over, let alone said anything."  
"Relax, Vader. We are only teasing you." Sugar hugged the other female, nuzzling against her in her usual affectionate, sugary, way. "No hard feelings?"  
The taller woman rolled her eyes. "You will whine and cry if I say otherwise, so, no. None."  
Sugar cheered and just about squeezed the stuffing out of her friend. Thankfully, a saviour in the form of Zacharie prevented her suffocation. "Coffee's ready!"  
The dancer immediately released her platinum haired friend and skipped into the kitchen, singing about the fudge and cookies she was about to eat. Rubbing tender ribs, Vader followed.

Both females settled into a chair; Sugar next to Zacharie and Vader across from them both.  
Right away, Sugar snatched a handful of fudge cubes and crammed them into her mouth.  
"Zut alors, mon amie," sighed Zacharie. "Your manners have become appalling as of late."  
Sugar poked her fudge-speckled tongue at him.  
Vader couldn't help but grin, remembering how Batter was also sorely lacking in table manners.

Shaking his head at his girlfriend's antics, Zacharie took a sip of his coffee. "So, Vader. Tell us about this man who's been keeping you up at night." The scarred man wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively. She scowled back. "Again, I say, it is not like that."  
"Then what is it like?" Sugar asked in between licking her fingers. Vader took a deep draught of coffee before answering. "I saved the man, Batter, from death and nursed him back to health."  
Both of her friends gave her questioning looks. "Batter?"  
Vader flushed. "Yes. He had no name, so I gave him one."  
"Er... But why 'Batter'?" Sugar asked with a puzzled frown.  
"Does it matter?" Vader countered, somewhat testily. The dancer held up her palms. "No need to snap, my friend. I was simply curious."  
Sighing, the older woman passed a hand across her face. "My apologies. I do not know what came over me."  
"Forget about it." Zacharie reached across the table and petted her hand. "We were pushing your buttons earlier, so it is only natural that you would become annoyed."  
That wasn't the main reason she had snapped, but Vader nodded anyway. Best not to worry her friends.  
They both looked relieved and she felt a prick of guilt.  
"So," began Sugar, reaching for another large handful of fudge, much to Zacharie's stern disapproval. "Tell us more about Mr. Batter."  
The scarred man shot her a warning glance, but Vader smiled. "We have not talked that much, but he's nice. Sad and withdrawn, but nice."  
Delightedly, Sugar clapped her hands together. "Ooh! Is he the tall dark and handsome type?"  
The beginnings of a jealous scowl furrowed Zacharie's brows.  
"Tall and handsome, yes. Dark, I do not think so," answered Vader.  
_'He is much too pale... Like a ghost. And he appears to have been gravely mistreated. Like me.'_ Was what she wanted to, but did not, add.  
"How tall are we talking?" Asked Zacharie, who was struggling not to let his brows develop into a full-fledged scowl.  
"Oh, only about a head and a half taller than I." Vader answered casually. She smirked internally as the scarred man grit his teeth.

Height was a sensitive topic to him when being compared to other men. It didn't help matters that Sugar was a few inches taller than him either.  
... Or that Vader towered at least another couple of heads or so over the both of them.

Zacharie glared into his coffee mug and snatched a cookie, taking short, furious bites out of it. Ignorant of his sulking, Sugar continued questioning her friend. "So he's tall. Is he strong?"  
Zacharie paused in his brooding to listen. If he was beaten in strength as well as height, he was doomed to lose Sugar to a man he hadn't even met. At least, that's what he told himself.  
Perusing her lips in thought, Vader traced the rim of her mug with a delicate finger. "I am not sure how to answer that. When I first found Batter, he was unconscious, injured and suffering malnutrition..." She trailed off for a moment, eyes glazing over with the memory of the man buried in the snow. "However," she continued. "He has recovered quickly and without complication, so I would say that yes, he is strong in his own way."  
_'And strange. How is it that he did not suffer frost bite from being outside for so long? And his swift recovery...'_ The platinum haired woman took a quiet sip of coffee as she pondered on these facts.  
Her friends were as totally silent as Vader as they digested this news.  
"So he's like you," said Zacharie slowly. "In the way of background."

_Two pairs of hands trailed their cold, cold fingers down first her face, then her body. "So beautiful... Like a doll. And yet, fierce as a caged tiger," the hands' owner's voices droned as one._

The platinum haired woman shivered involuntarily and frantically scratched her arms. It felt as though there were ants racing beneath the skin of them, as well as her back.  
Worried, both her friends inquired if she was alright. Vader nodded wordlessly. "It will pass," she managed to whisper hoarsely, still scratching at her sleeved arms.  
When it finally did, she had both Sugar and Zacharie hugging her and murmuring soothing words, and a mug of now cold coffee clenched tightly between her hands.  
Vader told them she was okay and they reluctantly released her.  
"I'm sorry, Vader." Zacharie said, looking pained. "I didn't mean to make you recall the atrocities you went through."  
The platinum haired woman waved the apology away. "It's alright. I honestly did not expect it to happen either. I thought I was getting better, but clearly I still have a ways to go..."  
She sighed, pushing away the cold coffee.  
"These things never truly leave you, Vader." Said Zacharie, looking incredibly and uncharacteristically serious. She couldn't help but think that maybe he was referring to how he got his scars.  
Sugar nodded in concurrence. "That is true. Although, if you try to picture something beautiful in your life now, then maybe the bad will be chased away, like a rainbow following storm clouds."  
Vader blinked, surprised.  
Sugar often had moments like this where she would say something so odd yet comforting that one felt compelled to heed her strange advice. Odder still was that it seemed to work.  
For Vader anyway.  
The platinum haired woman smiled. "Thank you, Sugar. I think I will try that."  
Her friend beamed back. "Any time."  
"And you know that if you are in need of anything, anything at all, that we will help you, right, Vader?" Added Zacharie. The platinum woman's smile grew. She felt blessed to have such wonderful, caring friends...  
"Actually, now that you mention it, there is something that I require at present."

* * *

"How do the clothes fit you, Batter?" Called Vader from downstairs.  
"Awful. They're too small."

* * *

A/N: I kinda based Sugar's upbeat (and huggy) personality on one of my two besties, so hopefully that's not too OoC.X,)


	6. Chapter 6

A/N:Damn it, I was supposed to do my assignments, not write this.X,,)

Thanks again, **Aqua**.c: I kinda didn't realise I made Sugar's personality (and hugging mannerism) like my bestie's until just before finishing. Lol, happy accident.

This chapter... I dunno what to say or think about it... I'll leave that up to you lot.;P

* * *

**The Good Thing That Hurts**

6: Hurt/Comfort, Comfort/Hurt

Two days had passed by since Vader's visitation of her friends' house. Batter already seemed to have regained a decent amount of strength. And weight; the fact she could no longer see his ribs jutting out was one that relieved Vader.  
It must have been all the food he consumed.  
What also strengthened was their friendship. She taught him things others took for granted, and he in turn helped her out when he could. And they talked. About anything and everything. Although usually it was Vader recounting stories about the antics of her friends whilst Batter listened intently, a smirk sometimes creeping up his face. Only the subject of their lives before their meeting remained one that they dared not brush upon. Neither party was ready for that just yet.

But they almost did converse about the matter the night Vader had visited Sugar and Zacharie.

It had been around midnight when Batter heard faint sobs and whimpers from upstairs. Swiftly, and silent as a wraith, he climbed the stairs. He had only climbed them once, mere hours ago, so he relied on sound and smell to find her.

_"Tell me, what flower is your scent?"  
Vader seemed taken aback by the question. "I-I beg your pardon?"  
Batter shifted, self-conscious. "None of these smells like you," he mumbled. She stared at him, dumbfounded and pink cheeked.  
_  
In the end, he had never learned what flower it was she smelt of. None of the little bottles of liquid scents she had shown him matched. They were all too strong. Regardless, Batter's nose had lead him to the door behind which Vader resided. The muffled sobs and moans confirmed it even if his nose didn't.  
He had pushed open the door and padded over to her bed. The platinum haired woman was thrashing in her sleep, tears leaking from screwed shut eyes. His heart squeezed painfully at the sight.

Gently but firmly, he grasped her wrists in an attempt to stop her struggling. "Vader, wake up."  
Still in the midst of her night terror, she had head butted him. He took the blow with little more than a flinch and a slight increase of pressure on his grasp of her. He had suffered far worse injuries.  
After another minute she had woken up, looking surprised at his presence. More so at the contact they were sharing. "B-Batter?" She whispered in a voice hoarse with tears. "What are you doing in here?"  
"You weren't sleeping well. I could hear you."  
"Oh."  
He didn't ask about the source that denied her a peaceful sleep, he simply climbed into the bed next to her. Vader flushed. "What... what are you doing?!"  
He said nothing, just hugged her to him and breathed in the light, floral scent he could not yet place beyond it being _hers_.  
Eventually, he had replied, squeezing her stiff body just a bit tighter a he did so.  
"Letting you know you aren't alone."  
Vader remained silent, but when the stiffness left her and she hugged him back, that spoke volumes.  
"Thank you," she whispered. "I wish I'd had somebody tell me that... earlier."  
Batter wished the same thing.  
"You know," continued Vader. "We are not so different, you and I."  
He very much doubted that, but had hummed in agreement anyway.  
"No, really." She insisted. "We're quite similar."  
'_How? I'm a monster and you... you are perfect. An angel.'_  
Batter kept the thought to himself.  
There was silence until he broke it by finally speaking up.  
"Goodnight, Vader. Dream sweet dreams."  
She had burrowed closer to him in response.  
The second night, there were no nightmares. For either of them.

* * *

The third night since Vader's visit to her friends' house, it was Batter who couldn't sleep.

He was being constantly shocked by the Alpha shackle. That prick of a guardian, Dedan, must have had a shit day and decided to take it out on him. Or, it may have been the fact that they had not yet found him.  
Batter smirked to himself. Almost an entire week of being out of the compound and he still hadn't been captured and dragged back yet. He planned to keep it that way.

Alpha crackled angrily and the strength of the shock made Batter spasm painfully against the couch, a scream lodged in his throat.  
_'Don't make a sound. Vader needs to sleep.'_ He swallowed thickly, gaze darting towards the stairs as though the woman herself would glide down them to reprimand him. Of course, she did not, so he relaxed marginally.  
Another zap from Alpha.  
Batter grit his teeth and clutched at the luminous shackle until the pain subsided. Once it had, he leaned back into the couch, groaning lightly. _'Fuck. He's really angry. ... Or bored.'_ Batter threw an arm across his face, sighing. "Damn snaggletooth," he muttered under his breath. Alpha, coincidentally, buzzed again, as though reacting to the insult. The man scowled and bit it. He gnawed on it halfheartedly.  
_'I could probably break these damn things if I... No. No, I won't do that. Not ever. I'm NOT a monster.'  
_He knew he was lying to himself.

_"Would a human ever look as you do?" Sneered the Director, kicking him in the ribs while he was sprawled on the ground; woozy from that stupid injection. "No, I think not. You are a monster, plain and simple."  
"No I'm not! I'm human too!" Was what he tried to say, but his stupid thick bill of a jaw wouldn't allow it. Only a small, indignant rumbling sound that served to support the Director's statement reverberated around the tiny cell. The fat man laughed at his expense. "Do you see now? You are a big, ugly and stupid creature with a frightening smile. Tell me, what is even remotely human about you? Ah, that is right, you are beyond speech."  
He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to shut out the harsh, stinging words and laughter...  
_  
Batter opened moistening blue eyes. The Alpha shackle was still in his mouth so he released it. A long, thin trail of saliva kept him joined to it until it snapped, swung and slapped his cheek. He flinched. Already, the saliva was cooling rapidly so he wiped it away before it became too cold. Cold... Like the compound. Like those stupid needles the guardians always jabbed, jabbed, jabbed into his arms.  
The ones that forced out the monster.  
Batter scrubbed at his eyes furiously, his hands coming away slick and salty.

* * *

It only took Vader a single glance at Batter to know something was wrong with him this morning.  
"You did not sleep properly last night," she stated. The tall man sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. It served to accentuate the darkness under his eyes. "No. I did not."  
Vader flicked on the kettle. "Do you wish to talk about it?"  
A beat of silence.  
"No."  
She sighed and reached for a mug. "That is fine. But you know, holding things in is not good for you. Better to say something now than have it burst like a dam later."  
Vader was mildly impressed with herself for saying something like that; like Sugar. Hopefully the advice helped him.  
"... Maybe I'll tell you later." Batter mumbled.

He never intended to tell her though. What the hell would she think of him if he did? Badly, that's what. He could just imagine the horrified expression on her face... Especially if he showed her what he meant. Heaven and hell forbid that! Better to maintain the curtain of obscurity. Things would be better that way...

Vader sat, like usual, at the opposite end of the dining table. She brought the steaming coffee mug to her lips and took a sip. Batter traced the curve of them with his eyes. Soft. Delicate. Fragile. Everything he was not.  
"Is there something on my face?"  
The man jerked guiltily. He quickly dragged his gaze away. "N-no. Sorry."  
Vader sighed, putting the mug back down. "Are you certain you don't wish to talk about it at this time? Whatever it is seems to be eating you up inside."  
"I'm fine," he said a little too tersely. Vader smiled at him sadly.

"You are a terrible liar, Batter. Things only become worse the more you keep them bottled up. I know this from experience."  
He bristled. "Don't assume to know me or my problems," he growled coldly. "Because you don't. Someone like you could never understand." Her face fell and he instantly regretted his harsh words. "Vader, I-"  
She pushed back her chair loudly, cutting him off, and stood. "I am sorry that you feel that way, and find it rather sad that you don't understand our similarity."  
Batter couldn't help it; the words sent him back into attack mode. "What's fucking similar about us?! You're too damn perfect to be anything like me!" Perfect; human. Himself; monster.  
Vader glared down at him. Her face was stony but her grey eyes blazed. "Don't assume to know me," she repeated him, "or my problems."  
Batter glared back up at her, fists clenched. His features felt contorted and ugly with pure rage. Such a stark contrast to the woman with the somewhat serene mask. For some reason, her eyes burned fiercer when he glared at her.  
"I'm going shopping," she eventually snapped. "You can stay here and continue to mope."  
"I'm _not_ moping!"  
She ignored him and strode briskly out the kitchen. Batter glared daggers at her retreating back until she disappeared from sight. He continued to glare until he heard the door slam shut. Faintly, he could hear Vader's heavy, crunching footsteps as she marched away through the snow.

Heaving a sigh of annoyance, Batter scraped back his chair. "Damn it. Why did she have to press the damn matter?" He asked himself, running a hand over the tiny bristles of pale hair that had already sprouted atop his head. "If she hadn't, we would still be on friendly terms..." He hoped that she wouldn't kick him out when she returned. That would be awful. She had shown him such immense kindness; saving him from freezing to death and nursing him back to health. Not to mention allowing him to stay with her when she could have kicked him out as soon as he was better...

Dejectedly, Batter shuffled into the mocha walled lounge room and flopped onto the couch. Lacing his fingers together and crossing his ankles, he stared morosely at the patch of ceiling where Vader's bedroom was. A small sigh escaped him. "I should've known this good fortune wouldn't last."

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the cock block ending.X,,,D


	7. Chapter 7

Aw yeah, guys, Bite's completed school for good and now she's back in business for more Battloha fluff!B)

Until I can snag a job, I'll just spend my days writing, playing the occasional game, and drawing (you can check out the few crappy sketches I've uploaded to my new Tumblr account if you want), so chapters might just come out faster and more regularly. Woohoo!

*coughs* So, uh, I tried to look up what asshole is in French and... the results were numerous and confusing (sometimes with multiple translations), so I just picked the one that sounded the best.:'L So if any of you readers is a fluent French speaker, please help me out here so I can fix this one little bit and not feel so stupid. X,,)

Thanks again for the support thus far guys. It warms my shrivelled heart.;P

Without further ado, enjoy, my little Elsens~ ^v^

* * *

**The Good Thing That Hurts**

7: Worry

"Cretin!"  
Snow arced in a powdery wave ahead of the kicker.  
"Imbecile!"  
More frozen water became airborne.  
A pause to catch her breath followed this, searching for a new insult as she did so. One other came to mind that she would later blame on Zacharie's influence.  
"_Connasse_!" Vader shrieked, kicking up even more snow in her fit of rage. It rained before her in a brief glittery shower that she might have seen as beautiful had she not been so angry. With a long exhale, the woman smoothed down her now wild platinum waves and resettled her features into their normal, neutral state. There. Now she felt a bit better. But cold.

Shivering and rubbing her arms, Vader continued the trek into Bismark, sans the aggravated snow kicking. She tried to focus on how much she hated the journey during winter to take her mind off the cold, but it made her feel no better. Just worse. Too many reminders of those awful times past.  
Vader rubbed her tingling arms slowly. "How could you not notice, Batter?" She asked the blank landscape. Typically, there was no response.

Sighing, the woman fiddled with the hem of her pale grey sweater. It was her favourite; a collaboration of Zacharie's superb knitting skills and Sugar's own messy sewing. Vader fingered the wonky red heart situated over her chest and smiled. This had been their birthday present for her last year, and it was already one she cherished with all her heart. Just like everything else she received from her friends.

When she finally passed under Bismark's southern archway, Vader still carried a small smile. It was only when she stared at the gaudy orchid coloured library in the town centre that the expression dropped and she sobered. The day she had visited Sugar and Zacharie, one of the topics they had discussed was that of Pablo's still missing younger twin brother. The library was like a second home to him, so as Vader stared at the building, she tried to catch a glimpse of his neatly groomed light hair through any of the windows; a habit she had gotten into when she first became friends with the man.  
No sign of him today either.

With a final sad glance towards the building, Vader resumed trudging through the ankle deep snow. North, into the shopping and entertainment district, was where she was headed. She passed the theatre and phantom images of Sugar's performance from mere days ago danced across her closed lids whenever she blinked.  
_'Quite the impressionist,'_ thought Vader with a grin.  
At the very end of the street was Zacharie's shop. It was actually rather spacious inside despite the small outward façade, and built like a labyrinth, which was why few dared to enter. Vader herself had gotten lost within the numerous passageways on more than one occasion. The only upside to the store's bizarre layout was the fact that children delighted in attempting to locate the pedalo button so they could cross the moat to the amusement park located at Bismark's west. Zacharie loved to make a game of it, always decorating the halls during holidays with little tricks and treats. Chocolate eggs during Easter, little wrapped trinkets for Christmas and, his favourite, a haunted house maze during Halloween. The last one was particularly fun because Zacharie, Sugar, Vader and the Grin Twins, Pablo and Valerie, all donned costumes and hid in the maze as jump-scares. Sometimes they even handed out candy.  
The children loved it. Sugar and Zacharie did too. And, despite the occasional complaint from Vader and the Grin Twins, so did they.  
The platinum haired woman found herself wondering if Batter would join them this year. She also wondered if Valerie would be found by then.

Her rapidly depressing train of thought was broken by the sound of a familiar voice.  
"For the eternal love of all existing deities, Vader! Halt in your motion of self-powered travel!"  
Startled, she did as she was bid, turning to face the speaker as she did so. "Pablo?"  
A lanky man a little shorter and a lot thinner than Zacharie paced towards her briskly. "That is the name by which I was Christened, yes. Why did you not respond to my numerous and somewhat uproarious calls?"  
The platinum haired woman smiled sheepishly. "My apologies, Pablo. I was preoccupied by my thoughts."  
The man, Pablo, sighed. "One of these days, you may find your daydreaming self on the receiving end of the brutal bluntness of a lamppost. I advise much caution to prevent the occurrence of such a painfully disastrous scenario in future."  
"I know. I will be more careful," Vader assured him with a smile.  
"Good," he nodded. A bigger, toothier mirror of her smile was then flashed. "Chastising aside, how have you been faring? Zacharie has informed me that you are sharing the company of a man quite shrouded in mystery. Our jovial scarred friend has also mentioned that you have bestowed upon this man a rather odd name."  
She rolled her eyes.  
How typical of Zacharie.  
"I am fine. And yes, I am indeed sharing my home with quite the strange and mysterious man." Vader answered. "His name is Batter." She thought it best not to mention their little spat at this point, for he would likely tell Zacharie and the both of them would have a field day over it.  
The thin man's pale brows rose almost to his hairline. "My, that is indeed quite a unique choice in name."  
"I know," she flushed, embarrassed. "But he seems not to mind."  
"Well, whatever pleases the both of you," Pablo's grin widened. "It is not my place to judge other's choices outside of the courtroom."  
Both of them chuckled lightly.  
"Say, Pablo," Vader ventured, "would you like to accompany me while I grocery shop?"  
"It would be my fondest and most sincerely delighted pleasure, my dear friend," he replied with a catlike purr.

* * *

The sheer amount of meat in the trolley shocked Pablo.  
"Is there a particular reason why you have loaded the consumables carting device with so many hunks of dripping red flesh?" He poked at a leg of ham, giving Vader a dubious look. There was a shrug in response. "Batter's appetite is insatiable. Already, I am almost out of meat; the one thing he seems to eat without a care or second glance."  
"I see..." Hummed Pablo, retracting his hand. "Well, this male companion of yours is certainly becoming ever more intriguing as more of his rather obscure self is revealed."  
They turned down another aisle and Vader hummed noncommittally. Despite herself, she found her thoughts straying towards the obscure man in question.  
His face had been filled with so much anger, so much emotion... It was something she envied him for.  
But it also worried her.  
If Batter was as upset with her as she presumed, he might have left in his fit of rage and decided to never return. If this was the case, any number of horrible things might have happened to him. For all she knew, he could be wandering, lost and aimless, through the snow until he froze to death. Her heart lodged itself inside her throat at the thought.  
_'I have to go back. Quickly, before he-'_  
"_Vader_!"  
With a jolt, the woman jerked back into a state of awareness; just in time to slam head first into a pole.

* * *

"Did I not warn you only minutes earlier that this tragic accident would occur if your mind was wandering?!"  
Vader winced and rubbed her bruised forehead. "Please don't be so loud, Pablo. My head is still throbbing."  
The man sighed; long and huffy. When he continued his chastising of the woman his voice was far softer in volume. "Your thick cranium would not be distressed if you had simply heeded my wise words."  
Vader copied his sigh. "I know, I know. And now I am paying the price for my stupidity."  
"Indeed. However, it is curiously out of character for you to act as though you are lacking in cognitive function." Bismark's judge ran a hand over his immaculately styled hair. Not a single strand of hair was askew before or after the smoothing. Self-conscious, Vader fingered a wild hook-curled tress. It was soft, but refused to stay in a large rippling wave like the rest of her hair. She winced at it. "Yes, well, I have much on my mind at present..."  
"Such as?" Pablo prompted.  
"Batter," she replied simply, hefting her shopping bags into a slightly better grasp. "I am worried for him."  
_'And what he may or may not have done by now...'_  
Pablo hummed lightly. "Your words and actions imply that you harbor much affection towards this man. Is this the case?"  
Flushing, Vader tripped and stumbled over her words. "I, well... I am unsure. Perhaps it is because we are kindred spirits...?" She suggested lamely.  
Two pale eyebrows rose. "Truly? Is that all the pulsing red organ in your chest cavity has labeled him as? A mere kindred spirit?" Her friend smirked suggestively.  
"It's not like that!" Vader insisted, flustered. "Honestly, you are just as terrible as Sugar and Zacharie."  
Pablo laughed heartily. "Perhaps so. However, I do not believe that I am quite up to par with their wickedness."  
"Whatever," huffed Vader, pouting at the shopping bags as she readjusted them. "You are still awful."  
"Would one as awful as I deign to assist you in the deliverance of your numerous and rather weighty edible purchases to your abode?"  
"No," sighed the platinum haired woman. "I suppose not."  
"Well then," her friend smiled smugly. "I suppose I am not quite the beast you have made me out to be."  
Vader rolled her eyes and said with the barest hint of sarcasm behind her words, "Of course not, Pablo. You are a gentleman."  
"Yes, I should think so," he said, chest puffing just the slightest bit. Like his ego. ... Which was yet another thing to blame Zacharie for.  
Vader swore that man was a bundle of bad influences wrapped up with a big bow of charm. Oddly enough, Sugar seemed the only one immune to Zacharie's bad influence, and she _lived_ with him.

Snow crunched quietly underfoot as it was trodden on, and the silence between the friends was a comfortable one. That was, until the library came into view.  
It was at this point that Pablo's entire demeanor immediately changed. His shoulders sagged and his expression fell. The judge's cat yellow eyes seemed shiny and moist as he whispered, "Valerie..."  
Careful not to hit him with her shopping, Vader placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "We will find him, Pablo. I promise you."  
He nodded mutely, allowing his friend to guide him out and away from the town with the flamboyantly coloured sky high library that had swallowed his younger twin.

* * *

The walk to Vader's house was one of twin damp moods and almost suffocating silence.  
During this time, Pablo remained mute and morose despite gentle words of comfort from Vader. This in turn dampened her spirits, so eventually she ceased her attempts to raise his and simply plodded alongside him silently.  
Chilly wind howled as it buffeted the pair and left slowly growing piles of powdery white atop their heads. They did not bother to brush them away.  
"Vader, do you believe we will ever find my dear brother?" Pablo eventually asked, voice barely above a hoarse whisper.  
"Of course we will," was her firm answer. "Do not lose hope, Pablo."  
The conviction in her voice startled him. It also brought a small smile to his face. "Yes, I suppose that I am, as they say, throwing in the towel too early. Still," the smile abruptly dropped, "I cannot help but feel a surge of hopelessness. Valerie has been missing for some time now, and all I can do is rest on my laurels; worrying and fearing that the worst case scenario may have already transpired..."  
The platinum haired woman nodded her understanding. "That is, of course, to be expected. Particularly considering the odd fact that nobody saw him exit the library on that day." At his wince, she hastily apologized for bringing up the topic.  
Pablo shook his head, dislodging some snow in the process, and waved a hand at her concern. "I am fine, so do not fret over the matter of my mentality."  
She hesitated, chewing her lip. "If you are certain..."  
"I am."  
Vader let the matter drop and silence descended once more. It made her more aware of the weight she was carrying in both hands.  
Would Batter even be in the house when she returned; with open arms and apologies? Or, would the lounge be empty of his silent presence, leaving the meat she had purchased to rot into waste?  
It would be a shame if the latter was the case, but she could understand if he chose to leave for good. They were, after all, both acutely aware of the secrets they hid from each other, thus creating a wall of wary awkwardness between them, which neither seemed willing to break.

Vader swore that if he was still, by some miracle, waiting for her return that she would apologize profusely and make an effort to break the ice between them. But she wouldn't tell him too much just yet, and suspected that vice versa would apply to him. They needed to grow accustomed to each other over a period of time lest they scare each other off.  
"Zounds!" Pablo suddenly exclaimed, which prompted Vader to snap out of her doze. "There appears to be a colourless wraith of a man emerging from the snow!" At these words, Vader's breath hitched and her heart beat a galloping tempo.  
"What? Where?" There was a frantic, urgent tenor to the woman's voice. Wordlessly, Bismark's judge pointed at a massive snow bank further ahead and to the left of them. Sure enough, Vader's widened eyes picked out a human shape amongst all the snow.  
"Batter..." She breathed, disbelieving.  
Even from this distance she could see his Adam's apple bob in a nervous swallow. And, as blank as he tried to keep it, his face, particularly his eyes, betrayed his hesitance and fear. Despite this, he began to stride towards her.  
Twin heavy crunches sounded either side of Vader and before she knew it she was running, leaving two bags of meat and a surprised Pablo behind.  
She met Batter halfway. Her arms were wide as she threw herself at him, and it was just as well that he was ready to catch her or she may have face planted in a most awkward manner.  
The pair gripped each other tightly, heads nuzzled into the crook of each others' necks, and bodies moulding together almost perfectly. Their respective scents were inhaled, calming frantic heartbeats and making both unwilling to part any time soon.  
"I... I thought you had left," whispered Vader hoarsely, not quite remembering the point at which the tears had emerged and started sliding down her smooth face. "And would never return."  
Batter shook his head, giving the platinum haired woman tighter squeeze. "No. Never. But I... I was worried that _you_ may not return..."  
"Silly," she laughed, returning the squeeze, "of course I was going to come back. It is _our_ home, after all."  
He chuckled too but it sounded strange, hitched, as though he were lacking air.  
_'Crying. I'm crying.'_  
And it didn't matter that he was freezing, nor that there was a stranger watching him and Vader embracing, because he was relieved. They both were.

* * *

*rolls in the fluff* X3

Oh yeah! If you've got any theories about what may occur in the future of this fic I'd love to hear- er, read- them. It'd be interesting to see what you've come up with, and who knows, you might just be right.;-)

Now if you'll all excuse me, I'm off to play some more OFF spinoffs~ Au revoir! *flies away with the fluff until next chapter*


End file.
